Plumbing tool

ABSTRACT

A plumbing tool which is usable in small spaces and which has an electric motor mounted so as to drive a hollow shaft through which a plumber&#39;&#39;s flexible sewer clean-out rod or other device such as a drill may be extended. A reservoir for the flexible sewer clean-out rod is mounted on the rear of the tool and supplies the flexible sewer clean-out rod to the tool as needed. A pair of handles is mounted on opposite sides of the housing for the motor and hollow shaft so as to allow a firm and positive control over the machine and balance for ease of handling.

United States Patent [191 Levine 5] Apr. 17, 1973 [541' PLUMBING TOOL 3,691,583 9 1972 Silverman etal ..1s/104.3 SN [76] Inventor: Aaron J. Levine, 3147 N. Cam- Przmary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts bridge Avenue, Chicago, 111. 60657 Atmmey Carlton Hm et a]. [22] Filed: Feb. 17, 1972 Appl. No.: 227,229

[ S 7] ABSTRACT A plumbing tool which is usable in small spaces and which has an electric motor mounted so as to drive a hollow shaft through which a plumbers flexible sewer clean-out rod or other device such as a drill may be extended. A reservoir for the flexible sewer clean-out rod is mounted on the rear of the: tool and supplies the flexible sewer clean-out rod to the tool as needed. A pair of handles is mounted on opposite sides of the housing for the motor and hollow shaft so as to allow a firm and positive control over the machine and balance for ease of handling.

l 1 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENT APR 1 7 2m SHEET 1 UF 2 Fig.2

PAIENIED 1 I915 I 3727, 261

sum 2 or 2 Egf. 4

PLUMBING TOOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates in general to power driven tools and in particular to a tool for driving a plumbers flexible sewer clean-out rod.

2. Description of the Prior Art Drain cleaners are known which utilize a container for a flexible sewer clean-out rod and which may have a driving motor connected to their rear end so as to drive the container. Such devices require that a substantial space be available so as to feed the flexible sewer cleanout rod. Also, since the containers of such devices are rotating,.it is difficult to hold and stabilize the machine as it is driven by the rear-mounted motor.

Also, since flexible sewer clean-out rods are used in basements and other damp places, a substantial hazard exists to the operator when using an electric-driven motor with such devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a novel power tool for driving a flexible rod for drain cleaning or for driving drills or other tools in which a housing has a rotatably supported hollow shaft which is driven by a motor mounted in the housing. The housing is provided with handles on opposite sides so as to allow an operator to firmly support the machine close to the location where the plumbers rod emerges from the machine. A

container reservoir for the flexible sewer clean-out rod ismounted on the rear of the hollow shaft and it is provided with a hand-hold at its rear portion for the operators use under certain conditions. A variable speed and reversing control is provided on the machine which may be separate from the energizing switch. One or both handles may be insulated so as to provide additional safety to the operator. The motor armature may be double'insulated and the machineis provided with a ground wire so as to ground the case for additional safety.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of certain preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure, and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of the machine of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the machine;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the clean-out rod container;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the machine;

FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view illustrating the connection of the container; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged end view of the container.

. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates the plumbing tool of the invention designated generally as 10 which has a main body portion 1 1. An electric motor 12 is mounted in the housing 11 and shown in the sectional view of FIGS. 2 and 4 and comprises an armature l3 and a field 14. The field 14- is mounted on a circular support member 16 atthe other end of the shaft 17 and is received in bearing 1 support 22 which is attached to the housing 11. The sleeve bearings could be replaced with ball bearings.

-An extension 26 of the shaft 17 carries a worm 27 which meshes with a gear 36. A cooling fan 18 is also mounted on the shaft 17 for cooling the motor 12. The gear 36 is carried on a tube 28 rotatably mounted in the housing 11 by a sleeve bearing 31 mounted in bearings 29 and roller thrust bearings 33 connected to a portion 32 of the housing 11. A hub 34 of the gear 36 is nonrota tably connected (fixed) to the shaft 28 so that the gear 36 can drive the tube 28. A sleeve bearing 35 is also supported by the housing 11 and one end 37 of the tube 28 extends out of the housing 11. A flexible sewer plumbers rod 38 extends through the tube 28 and is locked to desired length to rotate with the tube 28 by a keyless chuck 68, best shown in FIG. 1. The keyless chuck 68 can be released by moving a member relative to the chuck 68 so that the plumbing rod 38 can be withdrawn or inserted into the machine. A flexible sewer plumbing rod container 46 is mounted on the other end of the tube 28. The container 46 has a hub 47 in which a set screw 48 is threadedly received to atta'ch the container 46 to the tube 28. I

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the hub 47 has a shoulder which fits inside the container and rivets 81 extend through the shoulder 80 and an extending portion 82 of the container 46. Reinforcing ribs 84 are formed in portion 82 to give strength to the container.

The main body portion 11 has .a pair of upwardly extending members 52 and 53 with a handle 39 connecting them so as to form an opening 42 through which the fingers may extend. A lower handle 41 may be made of plastic or other suitable insulating material and is attached to the body portion 11. A power cord 44 is at tached to the handle 41 and a trigger 43 for energizing and reversing the motor 12 is mounted in the handle 41.

As best shown. in FIG. 2, a variable speed control knob 61 is mounted on the main body portion 11 or in any part of the handles of the tool and controls the speed of the motor circuit 62 which is connected by leads to armature 13 and field 14 and the switch 43. Forward and reversing controls such as illustrated may use silicon controlled rectifiers or triacs and are well known to those skilled in the art.

A handle 49 has a hub 51 which is receivable i n the back portion of the container 46 as best shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. The back portion 57 of the container 46 has openings 58 to drain and drive the flexible sewer rod 38 when it is stored in the container 46 and the handle 49 is rotatably supportedby the container 46 so as to allow the operator to exert axial force on the flexible sewer rod during certain conditions.

A lock actuator 66 engages the switch 43 so as to hold it in the ON position when the switch 43 is depressed and simultaneously the lock 66 is depressed.

A plurality of ventilating openings 55 are formed in the housing 1 l to provide cooling for the motor 12.

The armature 13 of the motor may be insulated from the shaft 17 so as to provide greater electrical insulation between the operator and the power supply.

In operation, the nose part of the flexible sewer rod 38 is extended from the chuck 66 and inserted into a drain or pipe to be freed and the trigger 43 is depressed with the operator holding the handles 41 and 39. The rod 38 may even be extended further by releasing the chuck 68 and pulling the rod 38 from the container 46 through the tube 28. If more rod is desired for the particular job than is contained in the container 46, additional 25 feet lengths of rod 38 can be connected to the end of the rod in container 46 and the additional sections may be fed through the tube 28 and chuck 68.

Under certain conditions, it is desirable to hold the machine by the handle 49 so that axial force may be applied to the machine and for this purpose the handle 49 is provided.

The speed control knob 61 allows the speed of the motor to be controlled as well as to provide forward or reverse direction of the motor 12. The speed control may contain a triac. Due to the short length of the machine from the chuck 68 to the rear of the container 46, the machine may be utilized in tight places and is easier to control than machines of the prior art. The handle 49 can be removed from the container 46 to allow the attachment of additional sections of flexible sewer rod to be added to the original one when desired.

The machine may also be used to drive extensible connectable drill bits wherein the drill bits may be fed through the tube 28 and held by the chuck 68 as they are energized to enter the workpiece. Extensible drills are connectable to the rear end of each drill as it is inserted through the tube 28 so that holes of great length may be formed.

Since the tool is double insulated by the plastic handle, insulating the armature 13 from the drive shaft 17 and ground pin of the cord 70 to the metal housing 11 with connector 69 of FIG. 4, the machine is very safe and substantially reduces the possibility of the operator from coming into contact with a live power wire.

A light 60 may be provided on the front of the tool to afford illumination.

It is seen that this invention provides an improved plumbing tool which can also be used for driving extensible drill bits. Although the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intent and scope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A power tool comprising:

a main body portion;

a tube extending through said main body portion and rotatably supported thereby;

a driven gear mounted on said tube;

an electric motor mounted in said main body portron;

a driving gear connected to said electric motor and in mesh with said driven gear;

a hollow container attached to one end of said tube and adapted to feed plumbers flexible sewer rod through said tube;

a chuck on the other end of said tube for locking said flexible sewer rod to said tube;

a first handle attached to said main body portion and extending transversely of said tube; and a second handle attached to said main body portion.

2. A power tool according to claim 1 wherein said second handle is attached to said main body portion on the side opposite to said first handle.

3. A power tool according to claim 2 wherein said first handle is made of electrical insulating material.

4. A power tool according to claim 3 wherein said first handle has an on-off trigger switch.

5. A power tool according to claim 4 including a speed control and reversing circuit with a control knob mounted on said power tool and connected in circuit with said on-off trigger switch.

6. A power tool according to claim 5 wherein said hollow container has a rotatable handle attached to its side opposite said one end of said tube.

7. A power tool according to claim 6 wherein drainage and drying openings are formed in said hollow container.

8. A power tool according to claim 7 wherein said hollow container has a hub receivable over said one end of said tube and a set screw threaded into said hub and engageable with said tube to lock said container to said tube.

9. A power tool according to claim 7 wherein said electric motor has a field and armature which are electrically insulated from said main body portion and said annature has an armature shaft upon which armature windings and said driving gear are mounted, and said armature shaft is insulated from said armature windings.

10. A power tool according to claim 9 including an electrical light mounted in said upper handle.

11. A power tool according to claim 1 wherein said hollow container is connected to said tube by a hub member which has a rim that extends into said container and is attached thereto and said container is formed with reinforcing ribs about said tube. 

1. A power tool comprising: a main body portion; a tube extending through said main body portion and rotatably supported thereby; a driven gear mounted on said tube; an electric motor mounted in said main body portion; a driving gear connected to said electric motor and in mesh with said driven gear; a hollow container attached to one end of said tube and adapted to feed plumber''s flexible sewer rod through said tube; a chuck on the other end of said tube for locking said flexible sewer rod to said tube; a first handle attached to said main body portion and extending transversely of said tube; and, a second handle attached to said main body portion.
 2. A power tool according to claim 1 wherein said second handle is attached to said main body portion on the side opposite to said first handle.
 3. A power tool according to claim 2 wherein said first handle is made of electrical insulating material.
 4. A power tool according to claim 3 wherein said first handle has an on-off trigger switch.
 5. A power tool according to claim 4 including a speed control and reversing circuit with a control knob mounted on said power tool and connected in circuit with said on-off trigger switch.
 6. A power tool according to claim 5 wherein said hollow container has a rotatable handle attached to its side opposite said one end of said tube.
 7. A power tool according to claim 6 wherein drainage and drying openings are formed in said hollow container.
 8. A power tool according to claim 7 wherein said hollow container has a hub receivable over said one end of said tube and a set screw threaded into said hub and engageable with said tube to lock said container to said tube.
 9. A power tool according to claim 7 wherein said electric motor has a field and armature which are electrically iNsulated from said main body portion and said armature has an armature shaft upon which armature windings and said driving gear are mounted, and said armature shaft is insulated from said armature windings.
 10. A power tool according to claim 9 including an electrical light mounted in said upper handle.
 11. A power tool according to claim 1 wherein said hollow container is connected to said tube by a hub member which has a rim that extends into said container and is attached thereto and said container is formed with reinforcing ribs about said tube. 